Zayn Malik came to São Paulo to sing, entertain and give fans a night to remember. He certainly managed the last part, but not quite in the way he might have planned.

A football jersey, a very divided crowd and one cheeky comeback later, the former One Direction star found themselves at the centre of an unexpected Brazilian football drama. He apparently hadn't realised that he was performing at the home stadium of Flamengo's fierce rivals, Palmeiras.

And the crowd was not exactly ready to welcome the rival team's colours with open arms, as some audience members booed. At first, the 'Die For Me' singer got confused by the reaction during his much-anticipated concert event.

In a clip circulating widely online, he addressed the crowd, saying, 'What the f--- is going on? Alright... who's having a good time tonight?

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anybody, I just like the football team!' The atmosphere in the massive arena shifted instantly as local sports rivalries took centre stage over the musical performance. He reportedly left the stage briefly to change into a plain black shirt but wasn't done talking about the incident that surprised everyone in attendance.

Later, the 'Pillowtalk' chart-topper delivered a cheeky comeback that had fans laughing and cheering: 'If I had known they were going to hate this t-shirt so much, I would've gone on stage naked.' The unexpected fashion mishap quickly went viral across multiple social media platforms, sparking massive debates among football fans and music enthusiasts alike.

While sports allegiances run deep in Brazil, concertgoers generally separate athletics from live music entertainment, making this particular incident a rare and memorable exception. Zayn Malik's team has not released any further official statements regarding the wardrobe choice, but fans have continued to flood social media with humorous memes and supportive comments about his quick wit on stage.